The Nightmare
by StarkCrazy007
Summary: After being kidnapped, tortured..The Expo attack, The attack on New York..All of it weighed down on Tony. It felt like the whole world was against him. He rarely slept, he found little enjoyment in the outside world, things he used to love doing other than building the army of suits hidden in the basement, he found no joy. His nights were worse..far worse...


The night started off still, silent. The two lovers tangled within each other, and Pepper had a hold on her beloved Tony. Offering him as much comfort as she could since he started having his night terrors. She never considered them Nightmares anymore, not with the way he woke up. He would throw his body up, nearly knocking her off the bed, and he would be in a complete panic. Most times he was inconsolable, shaking like a leaf in a hurricane...most night's he'd be crying with fear. To see such a self-assured, strong willed man be so scared-scared didnt begin to describe it, it was pure unfiltered _fear_.

Despite all she could do for him, he would never tell her what they were about, she was only given a handful of pieces, hearing him mumble her name, along with orders pertaining to the events in New York, and sometimes it would go as far back as Afghan with a man named Yinsen. Whom, Pepper came to find out, was the man that saved Tony's life by putting his own life down.

Sometime during the night, Tony's nightmare began, though..he didn't remember falling asleep.

_"Hmm," She kissed his shoulder as her hand ran down his arm, bringing a smile to the playboy's face, despite his need for sleep. _

_"I thought you told me you couldn't handle me again for a while after last night" he mused, the smile growing even further._

_ "Yeah, well I lied" Pepper grinned ghosting her lips over his skin, peppering his sweet smelling, Italian hide with gentle kisses. _

_Tony gasped dramatically, "You _lied _to me? Potts, I thought I could trust you" he teased and rolled over so he could look her in the face. A hand coming up he softly caressed the side of her face, their smiles loving and soft as they gazed into the only window into their souls. _

_"You know you can trust me, Tony" She said quietly tangling her legs with his, "I would never take that for granted. I love you."_

_"I know babe, and I love you more" He smiled leaning up and sharing a tender kiss with her. "Get some sleep, big meeting tomorrow" He said softly before turning back over on his side, Pepper settling down right next to him, sleep just within her grasp. _

_Within moments a shriek of terror filled the bedroom, bursting from Pepper's lips. Strong metal hands gripping hard and pinching her whole arm turned her over on her back. The heavy metal body on the bed, trapping her under it as she stared up into the glowing white eyes of one of his suits. The look the suit gave in itself was intimidating but the fact that it was now out to get her only made it that much more terrifying. _

_Tony spun over seeing his mind controlled suit over the one he loves, the repulsers glowing and armed. Tony was frozen in fear as the suit was locked on Pepper, not even knowing what it was going to do, the thing was silent, and he could hear the reactor powering its defenses. "Jarvis! Shut it down!" Tony ordered, his voice finally finding him. "Shut it down!" He barked and the thing looked at him. It's head snapping around with a whirr of the mechanics and motors. _

_"I'm afraid the suit is no longer recognizing your voice, sir" _

_Tony went pale white, but just as soon as his color left him a rage took him over to defend the only thing left in his life that meant anything to him. "Get off her!" He roared launching himself at the empty suit. The two very different bodies collided and Tony's barely did enough to knock the thing off the bed. Tony ended up falling onto the floor, the suit barely budged as he lay there with a painful howl. _

_"Tony!" She cried just as there was a huge flash of light and his vision was gone._

Tony shot up with a scream, his arms swung around to knock the weight he felt on him, not realizing that it was actually Pepper trying to wake him up. She was knocked back into the nightstand with a wince as the corner jabbed in her back. But she went right back to him before his PTSD panic attack took him over anymore than it already had. His breaths were fast, and he shook, looking all around the room as if he was trying to find something. "Tony..Tony baby look at me" She told him and crawled back over taking his arms, holding on as he tried pushing her away again. With one hard shake, "Tony!" She barked at him and got his attention, the fear and panic in his eyes. "That's it…Come on baby look at me, I'm right here…You're okay" She said cupping his face in her hands, bringing his eyes to hers. She could feel the dampness soak his skin, as the sweat began dripping down from his sideburns.

Tony stared at her, fear flowing through his veins, he felt numb even as his body still shook pretty violently for such a stocky, well built frame. Trying his hardest to focus on her face, on her voice, her eyes…anything to calm him down. The nightmare fresh in his mind.

"Babe..you're okay, just breathe..you're okay, you're home, in your own bed..with me" She tried to chase whatever horrible thoughts were in his mind out. Her hand wiped the sweat from his skin on either side of his face, seeing him start to calm down and come back to reality.

Tony's chest slowly stopped heaving so heavily, making his shoulders drop as he dropped his face into his hands. However his tremors didn't stop, sitting there like a rag doll. Pepper's arms snaked around him, slowly. However he jumped a little at the feeling, but relaxed into his lover's arms, biting back the tears that silently fell from his lashes.

Pepper's lips were in his hair, kissing his head softly as she held him close. "You're okay baby" She whispered into his head and her hand rubbed his arm, pulling him close. "You wanna-"

"No.."


End file.
